Police search for gunman in rapper’s drive-by shooting in Briarwood

By Sadef Ali Kully

Police were hunting for the suspect involved in a fatal drive-by shooting that killed a Far Rockaway rapper and critically injured the passenger early Sunday morning in Briarwood. police said.

Police searched Beach Channel Drive for a possible person of interest in the drive-by shooting. Further details of the hunt have not been released as of yet.

Lionel Pickens, 31, better known by his stage name Chinx, a member of the hip-hop group and record label Coke Boys, was found shot to death in a parked Porsche by 84th Drive and Queens Boulevard around 4 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Alongside Pickens was an unidentified passenger, a wounded 27-year old man, who had gunshots to his back, according to authorities. The passenger was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition said police.

The rapper Chinx was living in Ozone Park but grew up rapping since high school in Far Rockaway with a local rap group Rockaway Riot Squad and later joined Bronx rapper French Montana’s record label Coke Boys in 2009.

Chinx was an up-and-coming rapper and considered in a vote for XXL magazine’s Freshmen 10th Spot, a magazine dedicated to hip-hop and rap music news.

His management team, Legion Media Group, posted a picture of him in a suit on Instagram and released a statement Sunday announcing his death.

“It is with a heavy heart that The Legion Media Group and 4 Kings Management announce the passing of Lionel “Chinx” Pickens this morning. He was 31. Few details are available about his passing but his management confirmed his passing this morning. The rapper from Queens, New York was a member of French Montana’s Coke Boys. Chinx’s dedication, humor and vision will always be remembered.”

Chinx served a four-year sentence at Mid-State Correctional Facility before signing with Coke Boys record label.

There have been no arrests at this time and the investigation was ongoing said police.